The Oregon Clinic’s Gateway facility officially opens its doors. See why its physicians are proud to welcome patients to their new offices ‚Ķ
At the official opening of the Oregon Clinic in Gateway, Dr. Lou Libby, MD, Co-president, Chris Roemer, nuclear medicine technologist, and cardiologist Brad Evans, MD, show us their cardiac nuclear medicine camera.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
A year ago, the ground on which The Oregon Clinic’s Gateway facility now sits was a parking lot for MAX and TriMet.
November 3, staff members, managers, financiers and medical providers at the new facility celebrated its opening for patient care.
Shortly after we arrived, we became reacquainted with Dr. Lou Libby, MD, co-president, chief medical officer of The Oregon Clinic. “We are celebrating this new facility that will benefit the citizens of East Portland.”
Sixty physicians will have moved their practices into the modern brick-faced building. “Until now,” Libby said, “they’ve been crowded, elbow-to-elbow, in cramped offices in different buildings.”
Libby described The Oregon Clinic as a “one-stop clinic” for patients with complex diseases. He said they’re proud that the building is patient-friendly and environmentally sound. And, it’s right on the MAX and TriMet bus lines.
As we toured the building, we stopped in the cardiac nuclear medicine area, and met nuclear medicine technologist Chris Roemer and cardiologist Brad Evans, MD.
“This ‘camera’ is used to evaluate blood flow to the heart,” Dr. Evans told us. “With this non-invasive device, we can see if they’ve had a heart attack, if they are experiencing low blood flow, and see the pumping motion of their heart. It quickly tells us a lot.”
One-stop clinic
The new Gateway facility brings together specialty practices, including pulmonary health, critical care, sleep medicine, cardiology, thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, gastroenterology, and herpetology.
“We have rehabilitation services, such as physical therapy, on-site,” Libby informed us. “The facility also has durable medical equipment suppliers on hand who provide items such as wheelchairs and oxygen systems, in conjunction with Providence Medical Center.”
Completing the clinic are a Providence laboratory, radiology and CAT scan, and MRI and X-Ray services.
Enjoying some of the hospitality at the opening ceremony of The Oregon Clinic’s Gateway facility are Steve Maxwell and Steve Gray of Key Bank, and Dr. Kayleen Shiiba, MD.
Crossroads location important to patients
“This location is ideal for us,” Libby continued, “because Gateway is the crossroads of East Portland. When we looked at relocating many of our practices, we found this location is central to where many of our patients live‚Ķand, it is right where two major freeways intersect, right on the MAX line, and at a TriMet bus hub ‚Äì this makes it easy for patients to get here.”
A commitment to community care
Libby said the founders and managers of the clinic are committed to helping people from all walks of life.
“We’ve always been committed to caring for the Medicaid and Medicare patients. We’ve helped patients without insurance since we began operations twelve years ago. We maintain the philosophy to never exclude patients based on their ability to pay.”
Physicians, service providers, financiers, and dignitaries gather at the official opening of the new Gateway facilities of The Oregon Clinic.
As Libby prepared to welcome those who had gathered at the reception, he told us, “We want to continue to provide excellent service to the people of East Portland. We have some of the best doctors in Portland ‚Äì and now, we have one of the very best facilities in Portland. If you need good medical care, consider the physicians at The Oregon Clinic.”
© 2006 David F. Ashton ~ East PDX News
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